Artificial tooth



1,633,241 Jun 21 1927' G. o. B'URLEW ARTIFICIAL TOOTH Filed April 5, 1926 ATTORNEY Patented June 21, 1927.

GILDEROY 0. BURLEW, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

'Applieation filed April 3, 1926. Serial No. 99,435.

Thisinvention relates to artificial teeth and more particularly to types of teeth composed of a facing secured to a bridge, plate or similar backing, either fixed or removable.

Such facings are usually of porcelain, molded when plastic into desired shapes, including one or more openings to receive securing means and then subjected to a vitrifying heat, becoming so extremely hard as to resist shaping other than by grinding process.

Obviously such hard facings are quite brittle and not infrequently break when subjected to the strain of mastication, rendering replacement necessary.

Also, due to the translucency of the facings, the front teeth, in order to present the best possible appearance, should extend considerably below the metal backing, which is a further element of weakness in teeth of the usual construction.

It is therefore one of the main objects of the invention to provide a facing of greater strength than ordinary, is more readily replaced and ofbetter appearance.

It is a further feature to provide an attaching means that allows a limited lateral adjustment when initially uniting to a. backing, prevents pivoting or other movement after setting and permits substitution should the facing fail.

Another aim is toproduce such facing and backing attachments in standardized com mercial forms, ready to be assembled by dentists without difficulty;

These and otherobjects, Jwhich will become more fully apparent as the description progresses, are accomplished by the characteristic construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and delineated in the accompanying drawing, constituting a component hereof. and in which:

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a partial set of teeth, two being without facings, one of which is shown below the set.

Figure 2 is a side vi cw of a tooth illustrating its attachment.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing in detail a backing plate and pin connecting element. I

Figure 4 is a rear View of a facing.

The 'facings, generally designated by the numeral 10, are of conventional shape in accordance with the teeth they simulate. and have formed in their inner o'r lingual .or

cervical faces a single, socket-like opening ll having parallel walls;

Said socket extends from their cervical end portions downwardly and towards the front at an acute angle as shown.

A thin gold, platinum or other metal backing plate 12, initially square, as shown in Figure 3, trimmed to suit the back of the tooth when fitting, is provided with a pin 13 which projects through at an angle, one end 18" of the pin reaching nearly to the end of the opening 11 and the other end 13" extending outwardly a slight distance at the opposite side. v

The angle of the pin, relative to the plate, equals angle of the opening in the facing and its cross-section is oblong, or an elongated rectangular section in substantial conformity with the cross-section of the opening which it fits loosely,.permitting the tooth to be moved moderately thereon, the space being filled with cement 14 which upon becoming hardened retains the facing firmly.

The opposite end 13 of the pin is held in a bridge or plate 15 by gold solder or to be cast thereon so as to be completely covered by it and rigidly united.

It is to be noted that no metal is molded into the facing and that no slits or sharp angles are formed in it, such angular edged openings being conducive to starting of cracks destructive of the frangible facing, the cross section of the socket being preferably elliptical or an oblong rectangle with filleted corners Due to the cross-section of the pin being other than round, no pivoting or rotary movement of the facing can take place; obviously more than one socket and pin may be used when the backing is of unusual length or width.

The pin 13 may be slightly corrugated or roughened and the interior of the socket 11 may correspondingly be corrugated or roughened in order to better secure the cement on the pin and on the walls of the socket, (see Fig. 2).

Should breakage of the facing occur it will be apparent that a substitute facing can be cemented to the pin without difficulty or disturbance of the pin or its backing plate.

As the plate 12 can be trimmed readily it need not extend coincident with the incisal edge of the facing, but permit a desirable transparency, its cervical portion neatly fit ting the gum, and it will be clear that a strong tooth has been disclosed, not detrimentally affected by mastication.

While certain preferred embodiments of this device have been shown and described, it Will be understood that changes in the form, arrangements, proportions, sizes and details thereof may be made Without departing from the scope of the invention as defined, in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

An artificial tooth having a transparent lingual surface, a cervical surface and a flat substantially vertical backing surface interposed between the two said surfaces, said backing surface being provided with a recess and a flat substantially vertical backing plate provided with a straight angularly projecting pin rectangular in cross section to loosely engage the said recess, the pin projecting through and beyond the rear surface of the plate, the surface and loose fit of the pin permitting lateral and rotary adjustment.

This specification signed and witnessed this second day of April, 1926.

GTLDEROY O. BURLEW. 

